Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel
Yeah, we're goin' to the Roadhouse
We're gonna have a real
Good time!!
This probably wasn't the Roadhouse Jim Morrison was singing about in The Doors classic rock song, Roadhouse Blues, but who knows?
I will tell you what I know about this place, though. It's my favorite stop on my frequent road trips to Las Vegas. I've been a loyal customer for nigh on to twenty years.
Highway 58 used to take you right to the front door. But ever since they "improved" Highway 58, most trafiic whizzes by this cool little restaurant. You practically can't even see it from the highway now.
So what makes this my favorite place to stop on my journeys across the desert?
First off, this place is a like a big slice of American Pie. It has that old school diner vibe, with cozy booths and also counter seating. The waitresses are almost my favorite part of each visit. I just love those wonderful ladies! The waitresses here look the part, too. The whole restaurant looks like something from a Hollywood movie. The waitresses look they were sent from Central Casting. But they're not actors, they're the Real Deal.
Now, in case you've never worked in a restaurant, let me tell you, it's gruelling work. Sometimes the waitresses here might seem a little curt or less friendly than you might expect. You need to have a little perspective, OK? If you're going to be the kind of customer that gets offended because you weren't greeted immediately and fawned over, get over yourself. Yeah, sometimes you have to seat yourself. Big whoop.
Let me also add that the restrooms are dated, but in good repair and always very clean. There aren't that many places to stop between Mojave and Barstow, and more than once this place has saved me from an unspeakable fate.
I have had many meals here. To be perfectly honest, some were good, some not so good. It all seems to come down to what you order. I have a peculiar knack for ordering the wrong thing, so I'm not going to give you any insight about what to order. But reading other reviews will give you more information about what's good on the menu, meal wise.
What makes this a Must Stop Here place for me are the empanadas. Oh my god, you have to try these empanadas! They make two kinds, apple and pineapple. The apple empanadas are very good. But the pineapple empanadas absolutely kick ass. The pastry is so tender, so flaky. The dusting of cinnamon sugar on top gives the empanada a little bit of a crunch. And the pineapple filling is just the right combination of sweet and tart.
In addition to the empanadas, there are a lot of other very attractive pastries in the little case next to the register. I always say, someday I'm going to try this one or that one, but I never do. I'm true blue. I always, always get the pineapple!
The secret is, they're made in house. There's a Mom or a Grandma back there in the kitchen making these magnificent empanadas by hand. Again, I'm talking about the Real Deal here!
If you stop by and get your empanadas to go, like I usually do, you can ask for them to heat the empanadas up for you. They're a million times better heated than straight out of the pastry case, so don't forget to ask for them to warm them empanadas up!
One last thing: we all know how important it is to support local, independent businesses, especially in these weird (almost) post-Covid times. If you find yourself on Highway 58, please stop in here and spend some dough.
We simply can't afford to lose any more of these pieces of genuine Americana.
Mikey C says: the future's uncertain, and the end is always near... read more